


Feel Something

by Kangofu_CB



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Get together fic, M/M, Private Investigators, Veterans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-03 07:59:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13336848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kangofu_CB/pseuds/Kangofu_CB
Summary: CEO Quatre Winner hires a private detective to investigate a sensitive matter.  He easily discovers the perpetrator, but it only creates more questions than it answers.





	1. All of this sounds very familiar...

**Author's Note:**

> "I got nobody but my shadow to get me through  
> So put your lips on my scars and teach me to love"  
> -Jaymes Young, Feel Something
> 
>  
> 
> Originally intended as a gift fic, but I got demotivated in the middle of writing it. The outlining and first few chapters are done, so I'm putting it out here anyway. If it seems well-received, maybe I'll be encouraged to finish it.

Wufei looked up at the enormous steel-and-glass building as he climbed out of the car that had been sent to collect him for his meeting with the CEO of Winner Enterprises, Inc.  The building had been hailed as a miracle of modern design, the glass windows doubling as solar panels and generating enough energy to power the entire building with excess.  The solar windows were the company’s own patent, and they were now in high demand.

 

Following the success of the solar glass, WEI had subsequently developed a spray-on film that was currently patented and being tested to use on established windows, providing a similar effect at lower cost for older buildings.

 

It was no wonder they could afford to send a vintage Rolls Royce Phantom to pick up a measly private investigator.

 

Wufei couldn’t, for the life of him, understand why he’d been contacted.  Surely Quatre Winner had an endless supply of people who could have put him into contact with other, more sought after information gatherers.

 

He wasn’t going to turn down the opportunity, however.

 

Inside, he gave his name to the professionally friendly receptionist and was directed to one of the glass enclosed elevators with instructions to go directly to the uppermost floor.  His ears popped painfully about three quarters of the way up as it climbed rapidly to the top.  Stepping out of the car, Wufei was instantly distracted by the all-encompassing view.  Winner Tower wasn’t the tallest building in the city, but it was a close, and it had been masterfully designed to take full advantage of the panorama of the downtown skyline.  There was a full wall of windows on three sides as he crossed the room to a second reception desk, and on a clear day it probably offered an outstanding observation point.

 

Today, however, all it offered was a closer view of the dreary sky and foggy weather.

 

Winter in Houston wasn’t what one would call  _ nice _ .  It never really got cold, which was fortunate because Wufei abhorred cold weather, but it wasn’t all that  _ warm _ either.  Instead, there was a lot of drizzling rain and muggy humidity and the occasional near-freezing temperature.  Today was one of the humid, muggy winter days that Wufei hated.  The rain meant he needed a coat, but the temperature meant he was going to sweat in it.

 

The young man sitting at the desk outside double doors leading to an office smiled up at him as he shed said coat, draping it over his arm.  He’d dressed to impress, because when one met with the CEO of a Fortune 500 company about a job, one wanted to look the part.

 

“Wufei Chang?”

 

Wufei nodded.  Who else would he be?

 

“Mister Winner is waiting for you inside, please go right in.”

 

“Thank you.”  Wufei sounded gruff.  He always sounded gruff, despite numerous attempts by friends, acquaintances, and his old commanders to soften him into someone more personable.

 

Through the double doors was a clean, modern office, with more of the floor-to-ceiling windows and a set of glass doors leading onto a small, wind-swept deck.  Dark wood flooring combined with bright white columns and matching trey ceiling made the room seem even more expansive, though as Wufei strode across the room he realized it wasn’t really all that large, or at least, not as large as he would have expected for the CEO of the company.

 

The man he presumed to be Quatre Winner was seated behind a carved-wood desk, two leather retro-modern chairs situated in front of it, with his head bent over a stack of paperwork.  His sleeves were cuffed to the elbow and his blonde hair was mussed from running his fingers through it.  He did it again, even as Wufei watched, further disheveling the mass.

 

Wufei sank into one of the available chairs, clearing his throat, and the other man looked up in surprise, blue eyes wide.

 

“Chang Wufei,” he said, holding his hand out expectantly.

 

The young CEO shook his hand automatically, looking puzzled, for a half second before it seemed to click.

 

“Oh!  Oh yes, the private investigator, yes Heero said- yes of course, I’m so sorry.  A pleasure to meet you.  I’m sorry, I was distracted by- anyway, yes, thank you so much for coming!”

 

Wufei couldn’t help the slight smile that crossed his face at the other man’s flustered response.  It was strangely endearing.

 

“I understand you are looking for my services?”

 

Quatre nodded decisively.  Now that he was more cognizant of the situation, some measure of the powerful CEO he clearly was seemed to be coming back to him.  “Yes.  There’s a- well, there’s a man-”

 

Wufei held his hand up to forestall the remainder of the sentence.  “Before you tell me your problem, I just want to go over a few of my professional standards.  That way you haven’t revealed anything personal or compromising, and after I’ve explained, you can decide if you still want to hire me.”

 

Quatre looked a bit taken aback, but gestured for Wufei to go on.

 

Wufei had been a military police officer in the Marines for two enlistments before he’d been honorably discharged, and it had included two tours in Afghanistan.  Between the drama of continental military base personnel and their families and the blind horror of Afghanistan, Wufei had a few investigative standards that he wouldn’t, under any circumstances, pursue.  He received a small pension from the military for being injured in the line of duty, and that gave him enough cushion to be somewhat picky about the types of jobs he took.

 

He was slowly but surely building up a reputation as an excellent investigator, and he was therefore also hesitant to take on anything that might stain that reputation in the least.

 

“I don’t investigate infidelity.  I won’t follow your spouse or significant other in order to report back all of their day-to-day activities.  I won’t do those things for any other person of your choosing either.  I only spend my time investigating legitimate problems.  I’m very good at finding people or property, tracking down electronic data, and I’m licensed in several states, including Nevada and New York if you’re looking for someone.  I’m not good at pretending to be someone I’m not, though I can go unnoticed if I need to follow someone, and I don’t serve papers of any kind.”

 

When he was done, Quatre looked vaguely amused by his spiel.

 

“Well, I’m happy to hear that you have standards for your work, but thankfully, what I need from you fits within those parameters.”

 

Wufei grimaced.  He hadn’t quite figured out how to soften the pitch so it sounded less aggressive.  

 

“Over the last several weeks my head of security and I have noticed a man following me.  He turns up almost everywhere I happen to be and while he’s very discreet, he’s been at too many locations too many times for our comfort level.  And actually-” Quatre looked around in frustration, “where  _ is _ Heero anyway? Actually, my security guard is the one who noticed him.  Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to get a good, clear look at his face or a photograph.”

 

This was something Wufei could work with.  “So you want me to find out who he is?”

 

Quatre looked relieved.  “Yes.  And I can provide you with a general description of him, and we can probably get you some sort of sketch, but I’d like to know who he is and why he’s following me.”

 

Wufei pulled out the small notebook he kept in his pocket to take notes.

 

“And of course I’ll be more than happy to pay your usual rate, with a bonus for expedited completion.”

 

Wufei glanced up in surprise.  People typically wanted to negotiate, and they usually felt the job they were asking him to do was less complex than it really was.  He’d fully expected to have to argue over his hourly rate and the amount of time he anticipated the work taking.

 

The blonde man had already moved on, however.  He was dialing out on the phone on his desk, the handset cradled between his head and shoulder as he entered an extension.  “Robin?  Yes, can you tell Heero to come to my office?  Yes, immediately.  Yes, thank you.”

 

It was the third time Quatre had mentioned the name, and it niggled at Wufei’s mind in a way he couldn’t quite place.  He was certain he should recognize it.

 

Wufei bent back to his notes.  “When did you first notice someone following you?”

 

Quatre paused as he thought.  “About a month ago?  I have lunch every Wednesday with my sister Iria, at an Italian restaurant that she likes, and Heero noticed he was there at the same time every week.  Which wouldn’t be that unusual - it’s a fairly popular restaurant - but then we started seeing him other places.”  The blonde man pursed his lips.  “I suppose it could all be coincidence, but I don’t think so.”

 

“Does he seem sinister?  Or just curious?”  It was possible that Quatre, who was well known as the successful CEO of WEI, and who had been in People magazine recently on the list of most eligible bachelors, had simply picked up a slightly-too-enthusiastic fan.

 

Shrugging, the other man leaned his chin on his hand.  “He doesn’t seem  _ anything _ .  He’s just always there, watching.”

 

Wufei frowned.

 

He opened his mouth to ask another question when the door to the office opened and closed softly, and the ring of footsteps drew his attention.  Looking up, he was drawn to a pair of familiar blue eyes, though the shaggy haircut was different.

 

Former Warrant Officer Yuy smirked back down at him.

 

Which explained everything, really.

 

Wufei had come across the other man in the course of an investigation, years ago, a dead Marine in the Mississippi river, which meant their jurisdictions had overlapped.  As had their tempers.

 

It had been a… memorable… experience.

 

They’d both left the case with more respect for the other, but they hadn’t kept in touch.  Obviously, Yuy had taken a job with WEI after he’d gotten out of the Coast Guard, and it could only be coincidence that the two of them were in the same city.  

 

Yuy must have heard Wufei’s name through the grapevine, recommended him to Quatre Winner.

 

Which was a hell of a compliment. And a debt.  Wufei frowned harder, but shook Yuy’s hand willingly enough.

 

“You can’t find the stalker yourself, Yuy?”

 

The other man chuckled.  “I’m busy with my job here, and I don’t have my old resources at my disposal.  I heard you were building a business, I thought you might appreciate the referral.”

 

Wufei did appreciate the referral.  He sighed.  “Tell me more about your mystery friend.”

 

Quatre was looking between the two of them, perplexed.  “I, ah, take it you two know each other?”

 

Heero smirked.  “We worked a case together, several years ago.  When I was still with CGIS.”

 

“Oh!”  The other man perked up.  “I didn’t realize you’d served, Mr. Chang.”

 

“Marines.” Wufei answered, shortly.  It wasn’t a subject he felt particularly forthcoming about.

 

Heero reached across the desk to snag a clean, white sheet of printer paper, bending to sketch out a quick profile.

 

“The man is about 6’2” to 6’4”, maybe 180, 190 pounds.  Brown hair.  Green eyes.  Sometimes wears glasses.”

 

This all sounded… alarmingly familiar.  Wufei schooled his face into a carefully blank expression as Heero continued sketching, framing out a strong jaw and Roman nose.  Hair that fell into a carefully styled bang which covered half of the offender’s face.  

 

Strangely detached, Wufei admired Heero’s ability to recall and draw from memory another person’s face, with a fairly reasonable degree of accuracy.

 

He was intimately familiar with said face, so he knew that the nose was a bit wider, and slightly crooked in the middle from a long-ago fistfight.  That the glasses weren’t just for show, they were for after a long night, when contacts were just too irritating to tolerate.

 

That the eyes were more hazel than green, and nearly gold in certain circumstances.

 

He accepted the sketch when Heero handed it to him, looking over it carefully with a blank face, before reaching down to tuck it into his briefcase for later perusal.

 

Maybe he’d have it framed.

 

Clearing his throat, he turned back to the desk, flipping to a fresh page in his notebook, pen poised to write what he didn’t know.

 

Luckily, Quatre dove in, ready and able to fill the silence.  He slid a contract across the desk for Wufei.

 

“This is a standard non-disclosure agreement.  You aren’t likely to come across any protected WEI information in the course of your investigation, but on the off chance that you do, this says that you won’t discuss it with any outside parties or otherwise compromise WEI’s patent and design process.”  He slid another set of papers beside the first.  “This one is an employment contract.  It specifies everything we’ve discussed here regarding the specific issue I’m hiring you to investigate, expected time frame, and rate of pay.  There’s a bonus for completing the investigation in a timely manner, as I said.”

 

Wufei picked up both stacks of paper absently.  The first one he barely glanced at, having signed a dozen or more non-disclosure agreements in the course of his newfound career, and seeing nothing in this one that he objected to.  He scribbled his signature across the bottom and passed it back.

 

The second he paid a bit more attention to, despite his current distraction.  There it was in black and white, exactly as Quatre Winner had said.  They’d obviously done their homework.  He was being paid his usual hourly rate, with a provision for extra pay if he was required to do any sort of extended surveillance or archive investigation.  

 

There was the clause for the completion bonus. 

 

Wufei almost flinched when he saw it.

 

If he were able to turn up the culprit and his reason for being so  _ interested _ in the WEI CEO’s life within two weeks, they were prepared to pay him double his usual fee.

 

He read through the contract twice before he signed it, none of his internal conflict showing in the confident way he scrawled his name and initials in various places, before he handed it back to Quatre.

 

The blonde man looked it over carefully for missing blanks and then signed his own, elegantly loopy signature next to Wufei’s.  He held out a manicured hand, smiling, relief on his face.

 

Wufei accepted the handshake with more than a mild feeling of guilt, a sensation that was increased by the look of smug pleasure on Yuy’s.  

 

He rode the elevator down in a sort of stunned disbelief, the entire experience seemed surreal and hazy, as though it had happened in a dream.  At the entrance to the building, the lobby security offered to call a car for him again, but Wufei declined, preferring to walk the several blocks to his office, and hopefully clear his head.

 

Fortunately, he’d brought an umbrella, because the sky opened up above him about halfway there, sheets of rain falling all around him and soaking the cuff of his pants.

 

Once in his office, Wufei locked himself in, reaching for a bottle of whisky and a glass as he sat behind his desk and pondered his next move.  

 

He wondered if the completion bonus still applied if he showed up at Quatre Winner’s office tomorrow with the name, birthday, and several intensely personal details about the man they thought was stalking him.

 

Wufei downed the first glass of burning liquor in record time, and was halfway through the second before he remembered he was supposed to also discover the  _ reason _ Quatre was being followed, not just the who.

 

He thought, carefully, about why anyone would hire someone to follow Quatre through his day-to-day life. 

 

Because that’s what had happened, he was sure.  The man Quatre and Heero had identified was a professional, high calibre and thorough in his work, and Wufei had no doubt that someone was paying out the nose for his services.  Especially considering how  _ often _ the two of them had noticed they were being watched.

 

It meant that they were being watched far more frequently than they realized, for them to have noticed him at all.

 

Quatre Winner was unmarried and unattached, as far as Wufei knew, as far as anyone knew, which meant that whoever was having him watched was probably somehow associated with his business.  A company rival, perhaps, or a member of the board of directors at WEI.  

 

Someone with deep pockets, paying to have him followed nearly all the time.

 

Wufei sighed as he realized there was every possibility that his target already knew that Wufei was on the case, that he’d been spotted going into Winner Enterprises this afternoon, and there was nothing for it but to make the phone call he’d spent three glasses of whiskey and an hour long walk trying to avoid.

 

He picked up the phone, scrolling aimlessly through his contact list until he came to the one he was looking for, finger hovering over it for long moments before he tapped the green call button.

 

The call was picked up after only half a ring, the smooth, amused baritone voice familiar.  

 

“I didn’t expect to hear from you again so soon.”

 

Wufei could almost see the accompanying smirk.  He rolled his eyes.

 

“When are you free?”

 

A small, considering noise.  “I’m working a job right now, but I think I could clear my schedule for Thursday evening.”

 

Three days.  He was going to make Wufei wait three days.

 

Of course he was.

 

“That’s fine.”

 

“Is this a professional concern, or should I clear my schedule for the entire night?”

 

Wufei snorted.  

 

“Ah, both then.”

 

It was always both, with the two of them.

 

He hung up without comment, knowing the other man wouldn’t be offended.

 

Sure enough, three hours later, he got a text message.

 

**_Icon, 1206_ **

 

Wufei looked at it with eyebrows raised.  It was… significantly more impressive than their usual rendezvous.  Before he could respond, a second message came through.

 

**_Perks of the job._ **

 

Snorting, Wufei texted back.

 

**_I’ll see you Thursday._ **

 

He spent the next two days discreetly trailing Quatre.  For one, because he wasn’t absolutely certain that he was right about his assumption, and for another, because Heero had emailed him Quatre's schedule, and Wufei took that as something slightly stronger than a suggestion.

 

The blonde CEO went about his usual day-to-day business, attending business luncheons and touring WEI facilities.  Wufei didn’t bother to follow him inside, knowing that his tail wouldn’t be able to either.  He only spotted the other man once, in the park across from the restaurant Quatre was meeting another sister in, dressed unremarkably in a jacket and beanie.  

 

Even from a distance, Wufei recognized the set of his shoulders, his loping gait.

 

It was definitely the man he suspected.

 

When Heero called Wednesday night for an update, Wufei was able to confidently assure him that he’d seen the man they were concerned about, and that he expected to have some information for them within the week.  He’d been pleased and surprised by the news, joking that Quatre might have to triple his pay for such quick results.

 

Wufei’s feelings on the subject were mixed when he hung up the phone.


	2. Let me make you an offer you cannot refuse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wufei takes his information back to Quatre, and gets a surprising response.

“The man following you is Trowa Barton,” Wufei said, dropping a small portfolio on Quatre’s desk, a picture of Trowa at the park - taken surreptitiously and at a distance - on the top of the stack.  “He’s another private investigator.”

 

Both he and Heero gaped up at him, Heero recovering faster, leaning over to take the paperwork and thumb through it.

 

It was Monday morning, and Wufei had arranged this meeting Friday evening, after his… assignation with Barton.

 

It had been surprisingly enjoyable.  

 

Well, Wufei amended to himself, time spent with Trowa was always _ enjoyable _ .  They had an arrangement, had done for a few years now, of casual on-again, off-again sex and the occasional business collaboration.  It was Trowa who’d encouraged Wufei to go into the investigative business, had helped him get his licensure and referred him his first few clients.  

 

But catching Trowa out at his own game had been _ quite  _ satisfying.  Almost better than the sex.

 

He'd been lounging in bed, post-coital and pondering how best to approach the subject of his most recent investigation when Trowa had padded out of the bathroom and over to the window, peeking out of the sheer, gauzy curtains, a towel barely hanging onto his hips.  WEI was conveniently positioned caddy-corner from the hotel, and this room afforded a perfect view of the main entrance.

 

Wufei had checked when Trowa let him in.

 

“If you’re looking for Quatre Winner,” Wufei began, oh-so-casually, “he’s currently in a meeting with his head of Research and Development, a Dr. Maxwell, and isn’t expected to leave it for at least another half hour.”

 

Trowa had turned sharply to stare at him before laughing.  

 

“Really?” The other man had returned.  “And how did you happen across this information?”

 

“His bodyguard sent it to me,” Wufei had answered blithely, still gazing at his laptop over the edges of his glasses, studiously avoiding Trowa’s amused gaze.  “It seems he’s acquired a rather concerning fan, one who follows them to any number of places and hangs around, quite suspiciously.” He’d paused, reaching for the stack of papers to his right and casually tossed the drawing out for Trowa’s notice.  “His head of security - a certain Warrant Officer Yuy, actually - recommended he hire a detective to inquire into the situation.  Trying to keep it quiet, I suppose.”

 

Snorting in amusement, Trowa had padded across the room to relieve Wufei of his laptop and glasses, pressed him back against the mattress. He gasped in mock dismay as his lips travelled across Wufei’s jaw.   “I’ve been made! My career forever ruined! So, I suppose the detective they’ve hired to find me is you. How  _ convenient _ for both us.”

 

The next hour had involved a lot less talking.

 

Later on, once he’d taken the time to appreciate it properly, Trowa had been especially pleased with Heero’s sketch, grinning down at the likeness before tucking it away in his own case ‘to hang on his fridge.’

 

Now, in Quatre’s understated and elegant office, Wufei did his best to tamp down on the remaining memories of the evening.  Trowa had been more than happy to come clean about the assignment by the end of the night, but it turned out there wasn’t much to come clean  _ about.  _

 

“He was hired through a third party - all anonymous instructions and electronic funds transfers.  He was just supposed to report back anything… untoward,” Wufei said, finally, shifting in his seat.  “There wasn’t much to report back, apparently.”  The last Wufei offered dryly.

 

Trowa had actually said something much less flattering about what Quatre could have been doing with his time, rather than spending evenings in the lab or bent over paperwork.

 

Something about being bent over his desk, if Wufei recalled correctly.

 

The mental image made it exceptionally difficult to concentrate on the meeting happening over said desk, especially as Quatre was looking more than a little rumpled already.  

 

The blond man was wearing the remains of a light colored three piece linen suit - the jacket having disappeared to parts unknown before Wufei’s arrival - that would have looked absurd on anyone else, but somehow worked on the young, self-assured CEO.  

 

A self-assured CEO that was finally making an appearance, from what Wufei could tell.  Previously, Quatre Winner had been a bit of a soft touch, seeming somewhat befuddled and gently amused, but at this morning’s meeting, none of the casual gentility Wufei had been privy to was apparent.  

 

From his now-daily emails of Quatre’s itinerary, Wufei knew that Quatre had been at a meeting of the Board of Directors prior to his arrival, and he suspected that had something to do with the change.  Quatre looked attractively disarrayed, with his tie loosened and his sleeves rolled, but his gaze was razor sharp, fierce behind thick-rimmed glasses.

 

Wufei much preferred it to the slightly absent-minded persona Quatre had subjected him to before.

 

“How did you get this information?” Quatre finally asked, after perusing the same documents Heero had gone through moments before.  He stacked them smartly before setting them aside and fixing Wufei with his clear, blue gaze.

 

“I asked Barton,” Wufei answered, finally.

 

“You knew who it was before you left last week.” Quatre made the statement with certainty, his lips curling at the edges.

 

“I suspected,” Wufei admitted, “but I wasn’t certain, and I couldn’t imagine who’d hired him to follow you.  It seemed… prudent… to confirm my suspicions and gather information before I gave you his name.”

 

Heero smirked from his seat on the side of the desk, but kept his opinion to himself.

 

“And you trust Detective Barton to tell you the truth?” Quatre asked the question idly, turning to glance at Heero.

 

“Yes.”  His answer was short, certain.  Trowa might be a lot of things, but he was honest, with Wufei at least.  And there was nothing to be gained from lying, since he’d already been identified.

 

“How hard would it be to find out who hired him?”  The question came from Heero, who was regarding him with a sort of contemplative stare Wufei recognized from years before.

 

Wufei shrugged.  “It depends.  If Tr- if Barton cooperated, maybe not too difficult.  It would depend on their electronic trail.”

 

Some sort of silent communication passed between Heero and Quatre again, and then Quatre stood, Heero producing the missing suit jacket without comment, as Wufei scrambled to follow their lead.

 

“Well, Mr. Chang, you’ll find that your fee has been deposited into the account you provided today.  However,” Quatre paused as he shrugged into the jacket and tightened his tie, and Wufei was surprised by how attractive the firm, sure motions were. “If you can arrange a meeting with Mr. Barton, I’d like to speak with him, and perhaps hire you both to get to the bottom of this little mystery. Unless,” he looked up to meet Wufei’s eyes, “you’re opposed to working with him?”

 

“No, not- we’ve worked together before,” Wufei answered, surprised.

 

“Excellent,” Quatre answered.  “See if he’s available-” he looked askance at Heero, who rolled his eyes expressively.

 

“I’m your head of security, not your secretary.”

 

“You know my schedule better than my secretary.”

 

Heero snorted before consulting his phone.  “Wednesday at 1:00.  You can have lunch at the same time.  Or Thursday at 4:00.”  He glanced up at Wufei, who nodded his understanding.

 

Well.  It seemed he’d have continued employment after all.  

 

Assuming Trowa agreed.

 

*

 

“Quatre Winner wants to hire me to find out who hired me to watch him?” Trowa asked the question flatly, but Wufei could see hints of amusement in the way his eyes crinkled and his lips twisted. “That seems somewhat mercenary of me, doesn’t it?”

 

Wufei shrugged. “I’ve never known you to be particularly concerned with that sort of client loyalty. Especially since you don’t know who the client  _ is _ . And having Quatre Winner as a reference can only help your business.”

 

It was a carefully crafted argument. One Wufei had spent most of Monday afternoon perfecting, after he’d seen the paycheck - with sizable bonus - deposited to his business account. The prospect of continuing in the employment of a happy and generous boss was too good to pass up. 

 

It was simply a matter of convincing Trowa, who was a savvy businessman first and foremost.  He was also a friend, and someone for whom Wufei held a great deal of respect and as much affection as he mustered for anyone.  

 

Wufei had come back from his second tour in Afghanistan a different person.  He hadn’t seen anything like what some of the other men on the ground had seen, but he’d seen enough.  Had seen what a war zone did to men, men he’d liked and respected and then been charged with investigating.

 

Meilan had been quite clear about her opinion of the changes, the same night she’d told him she wanted a divorce.

 

He’d gone to therapy.  First with her, in a last-ditch, futile effort to save his marriage to his high school sweetheart - a marriage he had admitted, later, had been doomed from the start, considering how far apart their interests and inclinations had diverted as they got older.  And after the paperwork was finalized, he’d continued on alone, working through a variety of his own issues.

 

Wufei didn’t have PTSD, per se, but he had bad memories and a resultant deep distrust of humanity as a whole.  

 

Meeting Trowa had been a comedy of errors.  Wufei at the bar after a therapy session, wrestling with his own personal demons, Trowa there to watch a mark, the two of them thrown together as unlikely crowd control after the entire place erupted into violence because of one imbecile’s lewd remarks and wandering hands with the wrong person’s girlfriend. 

 

His and Trowa’s resulting adrenaline-fueled encounter in the alley afterwards had been memorable, to say the least.

 

“I suppose,” the man in questioned drawled from across lattes and croissants, “that I could make myself available for lunch with one of the richest men in Houston tomorrow.”

 

Wufei snorted.  “I’ll let them know.”

 

*

 

Wufei arrived at WEI just before Trowa, wandering over to the elevator bank that was becoming as familiar as the one in his apartment complex at this point.  He glanced up as the light reflected off of the glass entrance to the building, Trowa opening the door and strolling inside, as though he didn’t have a care in the world.  

 

If Wufei hadn’t known him for years, he might not have recognized him.  The tall man had dressed to impress, and for anonymity, if Wufei didn’t miss the mark.  He’d slicked his hair back into some kind of impressive pompadour that left his face exposed and made him look completely unlike himself.  The tailored grey slacks and long, coffee-colored trench with accompanying striped scarf made him look like a young business magnate, or the son of someone wealthy and important.

 

Hiding in plain sight.

 

He met Wufei near the elevators, eyes crinkled in amusement as he watched Wufei look him over.

 

“Play your cards right, maybe I’ll let you take me out later.”

 

Wufei snorted.  “I think you’ve sat the bar rather high, after our last meeting.”

 

Trowa’s smirk widened, but he was saved from having to respond by the ding of the arriving elevator.

 

Upstairs, nothing had changed, from the expansive view to the smiling young man behind the reception desk who ushered them directly into Quatre’s office. 

 

They were just getting settled in the chairs across from the powerful CEO, introductions behind them, when the office doors banged open and another man entered in a whirlwind of frustrated energy.

 

“Quatre!  I absolutely cannot deal with this, this-” he blew out an exasperated breath, “I don’t even have words, but if you don’t get this woman out of my lab I swear to god-”  He trailed off abruptly as he took in the men seated in the leather chairs, staring at him.

 

Or at least Wufei was staring.  

 

Trowa was smoldering.

 

Wufei almost laughed. 

 

“Gentlemen,” Quatre said, with something like amused exasperation, “I’d like you to meet Dr. Maxwell.  He’s the head of the company Research and Development department.”

 

He was the most unorthodox-looking doctor Wufei had ever seen, though he wasn’t a medical professional, but a PhD if he recalled the information Heero had sent over correctly.  Young and brilliant, graduated from the top of his class at MIT, friends with Quatre Winner since practically infancy.

 

The man was about average height, with hair down to his waist, at least, and braided neatly, wearing sneakers and jeans, a white lab coat thrown over some sort of t-shirt, the sleeves cuffed to the elbow.

 

“Duo,” the other man grinned.  “None of this ‘Dr. Maxwell’ shit.”  He tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat as he glanced them over, eyes lingering on Trowa.

 

“This is Wufei Chang and Trowa Barton.  They’re investigators-”

 

“Ah!” Eyes that Wufei abruptly realized really  _ were _ nearly violet, rather than it being some trick of the light, sparkled with amusement.  “You’ve finally hired someone to find all your missing novels.”

 

Quatre blushed, faintly.  “Hardly,” he answered, dryly.  “Their rates are a bit high for that sort of thing.  And anyway, I’m sure I’ve just misplaced the books.”

 

“You just keep settin’ them aside and forgettin’ where you put ‘em because you’re tired, Q.”

 

Trowa was watching the interplay with amused interest, and Wufei very nearly rolled his eyes.  The man had always had something of a hair fetish. 

 

Maxwell made his way further into the room, flopping onto an armchair near the window, clearly ready to resume his grumbling.

 

Quatre beat him to the punch.  “Duo,” he sighed, “can’t you at least  _ try _ to get along with Ms. Catalonia?”

 

“I have tried!  The woman is a menace, and I’m one step away from blowing the lab up on purpose just to get her out of my hair.”  He tugged on said accessory, pulling forcefully enough to make Wufei wince in sympathy.

 

“That would only prove her right,” Quatre smirked.

 

Duo threw his hands up.  “I know, but then I’d be rid of her.”

 

“Just try to keep her happy for a few more days while she finishes the lab inspection, Duo, and don’t blow anything important up.”

 

“How am I supposed to keep her happy Q?  She has a smart remark for everything, she disagrees with me at every turn.  I swear she only smiles when she can check one of her little boxes indicating I’ve screwed something up.  Or when she’s thinking of murdering someone and drinking blood from their skull.”

 

Wufei shuddered visibly at the graphic imagery, but Trowa huffed a laugh.

 

“She doesn’t even like men, so I can’t even flirt suggestively to distract her!”  The braided scientist sounded entirely put out.  Trowa’s shoulders sagged minutely, and Wufei realized any thoughts he might have had of calling the other investigator for the evening were now out the window. 

 

He’d be sulking all night.

 

“You don’t like women, Duo, so I don’t see how that would even help.”

 

“It would distract her, Q, and then my minions could get something done!”

 

Trowa perked up a bit.

 

“Don’t call the lab assistants minions, Duo, you know they don’t like that.”

 

The other man grinned.  “They’re here to do my evil bidding, therefore - minions.”

 

Quatre rolled his eyes.  

 

“Who’s this Ms. Catalonia?” Trowa interrupted smoothly, looking for all the world like he was making a polite inquiry, notebook in hand.  “Is she someone we should be considering for information?”

 

Wufei leaned back and put his own notebook away.  Trowa was either genuinely making notes for the investigation or, more likely, looking for an angle to spend some time with the handsome young researcher, but either way, he’d be thorough.

 

“Oh!”  Quatre looked momentarily surprised.  “No, she’s-”

 

“She’s evil incarnate, is what she is.” Duo muttered, and Quatre gave him a quelling look.

 

“She’s from EHS - Environmental Health and Safety - and she’s performing the annual inspection of the labs here at WEI.  She and Duo don’t get along.”  He said the last bit very dryly.  “I doubt she has anything to do with the situation we’ve discussed, she comes every year to do the inspection, and spend more of her time needling Duo than actually looking at the checklist items.  WEI maintains a very stringent safety protocol.”

 

“Still,” Trowa countered, “it might be a good idea to talk to her.  We don’t really know anything about why someone would want to monitor your movements, or how they’re connected to you.  It could be business or personal.”

 

Quatre sighed.  “Fine, fine.  Duo can take you down to the lab and let you speak with her and anyone else you’d like to talk to.”  He arched an eyebrow at the green-eyed man.  “I expect you to be  _ extremely _ discreet.”

 

Dr. Maxwell practically vaulted out of his chair.  “You wound me, Quat.” He put his hand to his chest as though mortally injured.  “We’ll be the very picture of discreet.  They’ll barely know we’re there.  I’ll tell ‘em he’s interviewing for that solar tech position.”

 

Wufei snorted, but Trowa gave him a look and he kept his mouth shut.

 

“Sit back down a moment, Duo, and let us finish up here, and then you can take Mr. Barton downstairs with you if he still wishes to go.”

 

The braided doctor flopped back down with a huff, slouching further than Wufei would have thought possible in the chair, fiddling with the end of his braid.  Under his lashes, Wufei could see his eyes were firmly focused on Trowa.

 

Wufei didn’t sigh.

 

His not-quite-relationship with Trowa was very much at their mutual convenience, and Wufei could tell already that this was going to take up a fair amount of Trowa’s time for a while.  He didn’t typically get invested in relationships, but the tall man definitely had a type, and Duo checked all the boxes. 

  
Trowa would likely be occupied for weeks. 

 

Quatre winked at him from across the desk, clearly catching the unspoken communication going on around him.

 

Well.

 

Perhaps Wufei could find his own diversion.

 

“It sounds like the two of you are considering my offer, but I’d like to formalize the terms.  I’m willing meet double your usual rate, provided that you can assure me this will get your  _ full _ attention.  I expect regular progress updates, and for now I’d like to give it, perhaps,” he glanced over at Heero and they had another moment of silent communication before he turned back to Trowa and Wufei.  “Let’s say three months for some sort of results before we re-evaluate.  Does that sound fair?”

 

It was Wufei and Trowa’s turn to have a nonverbal moment, Trowa’s grin a bit shark-like, Wufei’s a bit stunned.  

 

Out of the corner of his eye, Duo looked strangely smug.

 

Neither Wufei nor Trowa hesitated when it came to signing the contract that was slid across the wide desk for them.

 

It was going to be an interesting three months, in the employ of Quatre Winner. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Many, many thanks, as always, to ChronicWhimsy for the amazing beta, encouragement, and friendship.


End file.
